No confusion over Madani's arrest: Kerala cops

The Kerala police denied there was any confusion with its Karnataka counterpart over the issue of arresting Peoples Democratic Party leader Abdul Nasser Madani, an accused in the Bengaluru serial blasts case.

A Karnataka police team has been camping at Kollam since August 10 amid reports that Madani's arrest was likely to be delayed for security reasons keeping in view the ongoing three-day visit of President Pratibha Patil and Independence Day celebrations.

"We are in close touch with Karnataka police. Madani will be arrested at the appropriate time. There is no confusion on his arrest between us," Kerala DGP Jacob Punnose told reporters at nearby Aluva.

Madani's supporters have also gathered in Kollam in anticipation of his arrest. The PDP leader, whose anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Karnataka High Court, has said he would cooperate in the arrest.

The PDP has claimed that Madani was suffering from H1NI influenza and this had been brought to the notice of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Health Minister P K Sreemathy. Madani is listed as an accused in the case relating to Bengaluru blasts on July 25, 2008 which had claimed a woman's life and left 20 others injured.

He was the main accused in the Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case in 1998, in which 58 people were killed but was acquitted by the trial court.